Did the Refs really do this??

keets

There was a play in the Cleveland vs. Cincinnati game today that seems as though the Officials really screwed up.
1). Pass over the middle from Mayfield to Larry Ogunjobi.
2). Ogunjobi goes up in the air for the ball, initially bobbles it but gains control as he takes two steps and falls on his back with the defender on top of him. Replay shows he has the ball to his chest as the defender falls on top of him.
3). The defender takes the ball away, rolls over to his feet and runs down the sideline where he's tackled.
4). The initial ruling is a fumble. After review it is confirmed and the Ref states "The ruling on the field is confirmed, fumble recovered by the defense."
5). The replay announcer says that although the receiver took two steps he "didn't complete a football move" before he hit the ground.
6). Two possessions later Baker Mayfield has a tipped pass intercepted. The announcers note that it is his second interception, the fumble has been changed to an interception.

Here's my question(s):
1). Why was Ogunjobi not down by contact??
2). The on-field announcer stated to the stadium crowd and the TV crowd that it was a fumble. How can they then change it to an interception after perhaps 5-10 plays have taken place???
3). If they have some loophole that allows them to make that change, how is it that simultaneous possession ALWAYS GOES TO THE OFFENSE except in this instance??

That single play has sort of pushed me over the edge. I hope the play is available online somewhere, in light of the initial ruling and then the change it really has to be seen to be believed and understood. The on-field officials seem to have taken over the game that so many of us grew up with and no longer recognize.

Al H.

bronco2078

if he didn't complete a football move my magic eight ball says incomplete pass

DIMEMAN

@bronco2078 said:
if he didn't complete a football move my magic eight ball says incomplete pass

Same screwing that Bryant got a few years ago against Green Bay in the playoff's.

Brick

That entire game was officiated by the Keystone Cops.

keets

it could never be an incomplete pass, the ball NEVER touched the ground and NEVER left the receivers possession until after he was on his back, the defender landed on top of him and took the ball away. it wasn't a fumble and it couldn't be an interception because simultaneous possession by rule always goes to the offense.

the only thing that could be ruled that makes any sense just doesn't make any sense --- if they say it was an interception they are saying that the receiver is required to make "a football move to gain possession but the defender doesn't have to do anything. the receiver was on his back with the defender on top of him and the ball in the receivers hands.

how is that not down, end of play?? how is live ball and an interception??

the NFL screwed the pooch on this, badly.

JoeBanzai

@keets said:
There was a play in the Cleveland vs. Cincinnati game today that seems as though the Officials really screwed up.
1). Pass over the middle from Mayfield to Larry Ogunjobi.
2). Ogunjobi goes up in the air for the ball, initially bobbles it but gains control as he takes two steps and falls on his back with the defender on top of him. Replay shows he has the ball to his chest as the defender falls on top of him.
3). The defender takes the ball away, rolls over to his feet and runs down the sideline where he's tackled.
4). The initial ruling is a fumble. After review it is confirmed and the Ref states "The ruling on the field is confirmed, fumble recovered by the defense."
5). The replay announcer says that although the receiver took two steps he "didn't complete a football move" before he hit the ground.
6). Two possessions later Baker Mayfield has a tipped pass intercepted. The announcers note that it is his second interception, the fumble has been changed to an interception.

Here's my question(s):
1). Why was Ogunjobi not down by contact??
2). The on-field announcer stated to the stadium crowd and the TV crowd that it was a fumble. How can they then change it to an interception after perhaps 5-10 plays have taken place???
3). If they have some loophole that allows them to make that change, how is it that simultaneous possession ALWAYS GOES TO THE OFFENSE except in this instance??

That single play has sort of pushed me over the edge. I hope the play is available online somewhere, in light of the initial ruling and then the change it really has to be seen to be believed and understood. The on-field officials seem to have taken over the game that so many of us grew up with and no longer recognize.

Al H.

This whole "football move" is the single most ridiculous rule in all of sports. A player doesn't always have the time or space to make some kind of additional move when it's a play like the one mentioned. The first one was the (Dallas?) receiver making a spectacular catch for a touchdown that was ruled incomplete because of the football move rule.

I am also assuming that the old "ground can't cause a fumble" rule is out.

PatsGuy5000

Watched the Ravens/Bills so I can’t comment, other than they have missed some big calls in the Pats/Chiefs game

keets

it all makes me wonder if the On-field Officials, the guys actually calling all the plays, can be expected to actually know what all the rules are and/or how to interpret the rule book and what is happening in games?? I don't think they do understand completely and I think it unreasonable to expect that of the Officials.

further, I wonder how the selection works for who is at which game?? it is understood that the NFL evaluates their performance and we know that in the post-season the best Refs are used. I wonder --- during the regular season do the best Officials get assigned to to the most important games?? when Baltimore played San Francisco did that game have the best Officials?? if two Teams with 3-10 records play do they get Officials who aren't really that good, because that game isn't important?? no matter what the Team records are, do the prime-time watched by everyone games have the best Officials??

I think these are legitimate questions. I also think that a game with part-time Officials is in trouble and only getting worse.

bronco2078

@keets said:
it all makes me wonder if the On-field Officials, the guys actually calling all the plays, can be expected to actually know what all the rules are and/or how to interpret the rule book and what is happening in games?? I don't think they do understand completely and I think it unreasonable to expect that of the Officials.

further, I wonder how the selection works for who is at which game?? it is understood that the NFL evaluates their performance and we know that in the post-season the best Refs are used. I wonder --- during the regular season do the best Officials get assigned to to the most important games?? when Baltimore played San Francisco did that game have the best Officials?? if two Teams with 3-10 records play do they get Officials who aren't really that good, because that game isn't important?? no matter what the Team records are, do the prime-time watched by everyone games have the best Officials??

I think these are legitimate questions. I also think that a game with part-time Officials is in trouble and only getting worse.

is it literally a money issue ? They refuse to put these goons on salary ? With all the money the league is raking in it seems like a no brainer to just pay up and get the best people

keets

yeah, and if they are full-time, in the off-season they could really get to understand the rules and spend hour after hour after hour of watching film to see what's going on behind their backs or out of their field of view.

I can't help but think it would improve the product on the field.

Brick

If the NFL won't pay the officials really well for making good calls, someone will pay them well to miss a few.